Doctors often prescribe biologics like infliximab (Remicade) as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These drugs target parts of your immune system that cause inflammation. When you’re overweight, the effectiveness of these drugs goes way down. Studies show they work for only about half of overweight people, compared to 75% of people at a healthy weight.
Some disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Trexall) also don't work as well when you’re overweight. Doctors aren’t sure why. It may be because the cytokines that fat cells add to your system keep inflammation going, no matter how you treat it. What they do know is slimming down makes it more likely that DMARDs will help you feel better.